Automatic buoyancy control system



Jan. l5, 1952 R. c. woLr-E ET AL AUTOMATIC BUOYANCY CONTROL SYSTEM 4Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 30, 1945 INVENTORS RICHARD C. WOLF E' THOMAS6. @OYLE' @0614 ATTORNEY Jan. 15, 1952 R. c. woLFE Er AL AUTOMATICBUOYANCY CONTROL SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 30, 1945 INVENTORSRICHARD G. WOLFE THON S C. BOYLE ATTORNEY Jan. 15, 1952 R. c. woLFE ErAL 2,582,304

AUTOMATIC BuoYANcY coNTRoz. SYSTEM Filed Nov. so, 1945 4 sheets-sheet 4llllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHH INVENTORS A RICHARD 6I WOL/"E THOMAS C.BUYLE ATTORNEY Patented `an. 15, 1952 2,582,304 AUTOMATIC BUorANoYCONTROL SYSTEM Richard C. Wolfe, United States Navy,v Los Angeles,

Calif., and Thomas C. Boyle, Washington,

D. C., assignors to the United States of America as represented by theSecretary of the Navy Application November 30, 1945, Serial N ot 632,090

3 Claims.

(Granted under the act of amended April 30, 1928;

This invention relates to buoyancy control systems, and particularly toimproved means for automatically imparting positive buoyancy to objects,such as underwater torpedoes, that may normally or under predeterminedconditions operate with negative buoyancy, yet to which it is desired toimpart ,positive buoyancy after a predetermined time, or in the eventpredetermined conditions occur, to insure flotation of the device .andthus facilitate its recovery.

Torpedoesnormally operate with slight negative buoyance, and must besubjected to one or more tests or exercise runs to permit checking theirperformance and the making of any necessary adjustments, prior to thenal attachment of the explosive-loaded war head and the approval of thetorpedo for use in warfare. Such exercise runs are made with a simulatedwar head, containing no explosive and ordinarily referred to as anexercise head, attached in place of the war head. The exercise headcontains suitable apparatus by which the performance of the torpedoduring exercise runs is determined and recorded. In torpedoes of thatclass wherein air under pressure is expended during operation, andwherein the exercise head carries a quantity of water suiiicient torepresent the weight of the explosive contained in the corresponding warhead, it has been customary to provide automatic blowing means whereby,when the air pressure falls to a predetermined value, a certainproportion of the remaining air is directed into the exercise head, toexpel the water ballast therefrom, impart positive buoyancy, and thusinsure iiotation of the torpedo upon completion of the run. Thisrsystemis subject to certain shortcomings in that, should the torpedo bestopped or become lodged or imbedded in the bottom in such manner thatthe propelling machinery is arrested and the air cannot be sufficientlyexhausted, the automatic ballast blowing mechanism above referred tofalls to function.

An important object of the present invention, therefore, is to providean improved automatic blowing system so constructed and arranged thatnot only does automatic blowing of the ballast from the exercise headoccur when the air pressure falls to a predetermined value, aspreviously mentioned, but automatic blowing is also induced, regardlessof the air pressure, in event the torpedo sinks below a predeterminedset depth. A related object is to provide such a dual systemincorporating controlling means responsive both to air pressure and tothe hydrostatic pressure resulting from the depth of the torpedo,wherein March 3, 1883', as 370 O. G. 757) a single valve serves tocontrol the flow of the ballast blowing air in response to both of theabove-noted factors, and the supplemental or hydrostatic controllingmechanism makes use of many of the parts already incorporated in thepresently used air pressure-responsive system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a hydrostaticsystem wherein the parts subjected to sea water pressure are entirelyoutside and sealed from the interior of the exercise head, so that nowater can gain access to the interior of the torpedo by reason of theincorporation of the mechanism ofthe invention.

Still another object is to provide, in conjunction with a head blowingsystem of the character outlined, supplemental sealing means so designedthat the portions to which sea water is admitted in order to provide thehydrostatic actuating pressure are completely rsealed until the time oflaunching of the torpedo.

`Other objectsand advantages will be apparent upon consideration of thisdisclosurel in its entirety. Y

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view of valving and controllingmeans constructed in accordance with the invention, fragmentarilyshowing adjacent portions of a torpedomwithin which our improvedbuoyancy control system is installed.l

Figure2is a substantially central longitudinal sectional view of theapparatus with the'parts in the positions 'they occupy after actuationthereof by hydrostatic pressure;

Figure 3 is an elevational view taken as indicated by the line andarrows 3-V3'of Figure 2, the supporting flange and a part of the upperportion of the casing for the hydrostatic mecha,- nism being 'shown insection; l

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the mechanism, the sea water valve beingshown` in longitudinal section; Y

Figure 5 is a sectional detail taken substantial,- ly on the line 5-5 ofFigure 4 and looking in the direction offthe arrows; A

Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detailed perspective views of components ofthe sea water valve and trip mechanism, a portion of the trip platebeing broken away in Figure 8;

Figure across sectional View taken substantially on the line I 0-I 0 ofFigure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; g

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional detail .taken substantially on theline lI-II of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

sealed joint 23 Figure 12 is a horizontal sectional plan view takensubstantially on the line I2-I2 of Figure 3 and looking in the directionof the arrows, and

Figure 13 is a sectional View of the water discharge check valve forautomatic blowing as when the air pressure falls to apredeterminedpoint.

With reference to the character I designates the shell or hull of theexercise head of a torpedo, the remaining porn tions of which, sincethey 'formi no part of the present invention, are not shown. Aspreviously indicated, when an exercise'runis to be made the shell of theexercise head is filled, manually or by other suitable means, with asuiicient quantity of water ballast to correspond to the weight of theexplosive contained in the war head. "A quantity of air under highpressure is also contained in a .portion of the torpedo (not shown inthe present drawings), connection to this supply being madebyatubeZI). tl l y e ',The water-containing portion of the exercise head is closed atits after end by means of a bulkhead 22, the tube 2l) extending througha suitably in this bulkhead as shown in Figure 1. A portion of the tube2t may be coiled, as indicated at 2D', to provide resilience undersudden pressure surges, and to permit Yconnections to be made withl theexercise head dis assembledthe terminal portion of the coil beingcoupled asindicated at 24 to the lower extremity of a verticallyVdisposed valve body or casing suspendedA within a ballast chamber i6.The air pressure constantly acts upon the lower end of a valve stern y21longitudinally slidable in a central or main section 2.5 of the valvecasing. A compression spring 28 coiled about arportion of the valve stem21- constantly urges the valve toward opened position, while airpressure, as will be seen, tends to maintain the valve-closed. Thespring 28 may be designed to open the valve when the air pressure `hasfallen to ya value in the neighborhod of five to six hundred poundsfpersquare inch, while the initial air pressure-may be in the neighborhoodof 2,800 pounds per square inch, although these values are,-of course,merely representative. The spring 28 reacts at its lower end Yagainst anabutment 29 affixed to the valve stern 21 Yand at its upper end againsta combined closure and spring retaining plug 3i). As shown in Figures! 1vand 2, the air is admitted through a strainer 26 into a chamber 3!ycontained in a llower section 25'eof thevalve casing and is thenconducted through a passage 32 into a chamber 33 which lies below thehead of the valve stem 21. The valve is provided with a plurality oflongitudinally spaced piston .sections 34, 35, 36, the lower and. rstmentioned of which constitutes the head against which the direct askpressure acts as previously indicated, while two valve chambers 31,v'38between the piston sections yare serially connected by two airpassages 4I), 4I the passage 4.0 communicating with therchamber 33.These passages are somewhat restricted in size, so that when pressure isfirst introduced into the chamber 33, it builds up against the head34sufciently to close the valve against the eort of the spring 28, theair vbeing unable to escape through these passages rapidly enough toprevent a suicient build up of pressure to close the valve. When thepressure falls to suchpoint that it is overcome by the spring .28 andthe valve is opened, the air escapes through the passages mentioned,around the piston 36, and outV through the lateral passages 39 into `thewater ballast drawings, the referencey compartment I6, displacing thewater, whence it escapes through a water discharge check valve theconstruction of which is shown in Figure 13.

As indicated in Figure 13, the discharge valve body, .secured tothebottom of the hull I5 and designated'43, is'of generally annularform,provided with a plurality of relatively large outlet apertures 44surrounded by a seat 45 against which a sealing disc or washer 46 isurged by a thrust spring 41, with a pressure which may correspond to aballast water pressure in the neighborhood of 400 pounds per squareinch. 'Ihe discharge valve is thus opened when "the combined air andwater pressure within the compartment Irexceeds this Value, and thewater then escapes through the orifices 48 in the combined-springesupporting and closure plate 49 which is supported acrosstheopening (undesignated) in the hull in which the discharge valve ismounted.

An upper section 252 of the valve casing 25 is threaded into orotherwise supported by a collar 5! carried byand shown as integral witha pair of laterally spaced vertically disposed webs. 52 attached attheir upper ends to an annular top casing portion 53. Casing portion 53is shown as of cupped form, provided with a topflange 454 which ispreferably accurately ground to insure an eiective water seal, andtightly clamped. and supported between a flanged ring 55 and a clampingring 56. Ring 55 is seated atits top against and accurately lits theyinterior'of the .hull I5 surrounding the opening I1 therein. .Clampingring is tightly forced down upon. and also sealed against the flange'54by the screws5,1,V a portion 58 (Fig. 3) ofring 56 being contoured tooverhangthe hull I5 and to bertightened there againstwhen the screws 51are taken up.

The hydrostatically actuable means is arrangedto augrnent thevalve-opening force exerted by spring 28 vin direct proportion to thehydrostatic head. Theseparts. are so Vdesigned and proportionedvthat-thetorpedo will reach a certain depth `after an initial delaydetermined by the v`size Yof the chamber 33 and/,or 4.the orifices 48.This delay iscalculated to enable the torpedo to reach aset depth afterits initial dive. The auxiliary opening force thus-exerted onthe valveis suflioientl to overcome the full flask air pressure and open thevalve 21, thus admitting the full air pressure to the compartment I6,blowing the .water therefrom in themanner `previously indicated, Vandcreating positive buoyancy in the manner outlined above.

An extension 21 of the valve stem 21 projects upwardly .fromY theretaining plug 30 into the space between the webs 52 in prosition to becontacted by the lower arm 6| of a bellcrank, the other upwardlyextending arm 62 vof which is movable yunder the, influenceV of -thehydrostatic mechanism. The hub of the bellcrank Vis journaled in thewebs 52 by a crossshaft`64 while the upper end of the arm S2 is attachedto a lpair of overcenter links 65,- 66. v-TherserareV centrallyarticulated byra pin 6.1, the link 65 being-pivoted atits other-end tothe Yextremity of l'the arm 62, while the outerrendf of the link E6 -isjournaled upon a pin 58 extending between the'webs Y52.

pair of relatively heavy "-overcenter 'springs 1i! reacts against .thelower armil of .thebellcrank, thelowerends of thel springs being hookedto the extremities of a supporting rod 1I carried by a bracketlil-projecting outwardly and downwardly from the valve supporting collarl5 I Vwhile the Aupper-ends ofthesprings are similarlyccnnected by a pin13 to the outerend of the'bellcrank arm BI. A stop 14 may be provided tolimit the downward movementof the arm SI and thus of the valve 21, thestop 1t being formed as a screw mounted in the arm and adapted to bearagainst the top of the bracket 12.

Movement of the linkage (i5-6B is controlled Vby a stem actuable by abellows diaphragm 16 of the Sylphon type. The rod 15 is verticallymovable in an internal sleeve 11. The sleeve 11 projects into thebellows and is flanged at its top to permit supporting thereof in thecupped casing portion 53 by means of the same screws 'I8 that areemployed to support the top supporting ilange 1S of the bellowsdiaphragm. A top plate 80 extends across the ilanged upper end of thesleeve 11 and is also positioned by the screws 18. The stem 15 carriesmeans near its lower end for tightly clamping it to and sealing itagainst the end of the bellows 13, while the lower end of the stemprojects beyond the bellows in position to operate the overcenterlinkage 65-66, near the central joint provided by the pin (il.

`Sealing of the stem to theA bellows is completed by a stem-carriedresilient packing washer 82 which functions as a piston, which iscompressed against the inside of the end of the bellows by.

an abutment washer 33, attached to the stem 11 outside the bellows andsoldered or otherwise sealed with respect to the latter bellows as wellas with respect to the stem. Within the bellows the stem passes throughan opening 84 in the end of the sleeve 11. A nut or head 85 on thethreaded lower end of the stem I5 serves as an adjustable head forengaging the link t5 and is adapted to be locked in any position towhich it is adjusted, by means of a cotter pin 3S.

An eXernally threaded extension 8S is screwed on to the upper threadedend of the stem 15 and projects upwardly into an inverted cupped bearingboss Si! mounted upon but rotatable in the head 53 in axial alignmentwith the stem 15. A cross pin 9! extends through and projects laterallyfrom the upper end of the extension 86, the ends of the pin extendinginto vertical slots 92 in the boss 9U. The extension 88 is thusrotatable for adjustment by turning the knob-like boss 9S. A flange 8Son the extension S8 serves as an abutment for a spring 95 housed in thesleeve 11 and loosely surrounding the stem 75, the lower end of thespring bearing against the bottom flange of the sleeve 11 so that thereaction of the spring tends to urge the head 85 and the attached stemupwardly, and the bellows to the contracted position. When the head 85is thus raised and the bellows contracted, the overcenter linkage isarranged, in the manner indicated in Figure l, with the center of thepin 51 above a line connecting the pin 68, 69, the degree of upwardmovement of the linkage and of the stem being limited by the sealingwasher 82 which is compressed against sleeve 11. The bell crank is thenrocked slightly to the right, the arm 6I being lifted from the extension21 of the Valve stem 2l, and the valve 21 being then free to moveupwardly to the fully closed position in which it is normally maintainedby the flask air pressure.

If the hydrostatic mechanism does not function, the valve 21 iscontrolled and movable entirely by the interaction of the spring 28 andilask air pressure in the normal manner and the arm 6I remains raisedand free of the valve stem extension. If hydrostatic pressure risessuciently, however, the bellows is distended and the head 85 is drivendownwardly until the pin 61 passes through the line connecting the axes'pins Gil, 69, whereafter the linkage breaks to the position in which itis shown in Figure 2, the bell crank arm 6I being rocked downwardlyunder the inuence of the springs 1D, and forcing the valve stem 21downwardly to open the valve, the effort of the springs 10 beingsuicient to overcome the flask pressure, so that the valve is openedpositively and without regard to the existing ilask pressure.

The space above the top ilange of the sleeve 'I1 is exposed to the sea,and pressure commu nication with the interior of the bellows is providedby a passage 95 in a valve body I which forms a part of the top closureof the bellows. In order to prevent fouling if used in a ooded submarinetube and corrosion of the parts and of the passage 95 prior to firing,the passage may be sealed by valve means adapted to be opened, eithermanually when used above water or automatically when used in a submarineat the time of ring, the upper end of the passage 95 being thus openedfor admission of pressure to the interior of the bellows. The valve bodyis attached to the bellows top plate 19, the lower end of internalpassage S5 communicating with the free air space directly above thebellows and thus with the interior of the bellows.' Passage 95terminates at its upper end in a port 95 forming the open end of aprojecting hollow boss IUI, against which a resilient valve pad |02carried by a valve element H13 is adapted to be pressed to seal theport. The valve element 53 is slidably mounted upon the boss IUI, aplurality of orifices iSd in the valve body being provided to admit seawater to the passage 95 when the valve is opened.

During storage and at all times when inserting the torpedo in asubmarine tube and until the torpedo is fired, the valve m3 is heldclosed by the overcenter toggle linkage comprising the links IBS, I1,the former being articulated to the valve body while the latter ispivoted to a xed bracket IGS. When the central pivot pin |09 is pusheddownwardly below a line connecting the pins I I l), I I I, the valve isheld tightly closed,

' the downward movement of the central pivot of the linkage beingarrested with the links bearing against a portion of the base of thebracket |58, which is also secured to the top'ilange of the sleeve 11 byscrews 18. The overcenter spring action is provided by a compressionspring II2 housed within the valve I 03 and reacting against the bossIUI. A cam IIS, also pivoted upon the central pin IUS, is so shaped thatwhen turned about such pin it may react against the plate |08 to pushthe central pivot of the linkage upwardly and overcenter, permittingfull opening of the valve by the spring I I2. A trip plate I I4 attachedto and shown as an integral continuation of the cam I I3 projectsoutwardly in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flow ofwater past the torpedo, when the cam is in the position it occupies whenthe valve is closed, while as will be apparent from Figure 1, thevelocity pressure developed by the flow of water is exerted in adirection to turn the cam in a manner to throw the linkage throughcenter and release the valve for opening movement in the mannerpreviously described. Thus when the torpedo is launched, the plate isthrown aft by the rst impact with or rapid movement through the water,opening the valve |03 and permitting the water to enter the bellows 16.The bellows-operated trip head is thereafter movable in response toincrease of hydrostatic pressure which in turn depends upon the depth ofthe torpedo.

'I'he supporting boss 90 for the spring abutment and extension sectiongAisrprovided with a `frusto-conic bottom portion 82 b3/Which it isretained and journaled-or swiveled in the plate 8G. Extensionr may thusbe rotated, by turning the element 90 to change the initial tension ofspring S5, thereby varying the effect-iveY force required to extend thebellows sufficientlyY to force the linkages 65, B6 over-center. fSince*` the position of the pin 9| .changes with the spring ad justment,calibrations as I|28 may-,be Y.provided upenr-tnesidefoiA boss-Sil,adapted to cooperate with the pin 9 I which is visible through vthe slot92a, to indicate the depth setting of the hydrostatic mechanism.

K While it `will be apparent that the preferred enfibodiment of theinvention herein 4disclosed is 4well calculated adequately to fulfill.the objects and advantages primarilyk stated, it lwillbeappreciatedf-that the invention issusceptible to.

hydrostatic means to open the valve, said means n comprising abell-crank pivoted adjacent to the valve, spring-means pressingthe-,bell-crank toward one direction of turningfso ,that one of its armstends Yto push the valve to open position,

sure of the springmeans, hydraulically displaceable means to break `thelinkage, said means comprising a rod directed toward the overcenterlinkage, a piston carried by the rod to intercept seawater pressure, aspring-loaded valve initially closed to exclude seawater from thepiston, and trip means coupled to thevalve holding it closed againstsaid spring loadingsaid trip means being actuable by water impact uponlaunching the l torpedo to `release the valve.

2. In a buoyancy controlfor a torpedo having Aa ballast chamber tocontain water and having a conduit betweensaid chamber and a supply ofaire-under pressure, valvefrneans interposed in the conduit yielding tothe air pressure against it in one direction to maintain a closedposition, and hydrostatic'means to open the valve, said means comprisinga bell-crank pivoted adjacent an overcenter linkage connected to theother arm and being initially stationed vto resist the presi8 .tothevalve, spring means pressing the bell-,crank toward onedirectionofturningso that of its'arms Atends topush the valve vto openposition, an overcenter linkage connected to the other arm'and beinginitially stationed toresist' `the pressure of the spring means,hydrostatically displaceable means to break the linkage, saidy meanscomprsing a rod directed toward the overcenter linkage, a piston carriedby .the rod to intercept seawater pressure, a spring-loaded valveinitially closed to exclude seawaterfrom the piston, an overcenterlinkage connectedto the valve and initially 'stationed` to hold zitclosed against said spring loading, and a trip plateV coupled to thelast overcenter linkage,-being actuable by Water impact upon launchingVthetorpedo. to break said 'last overcenteralinkage .thereby to release.the valve.

3.-. In a buoyancycontrol for a torpedo having .a. ballast chambertocontain Water and having a conduit between said chamber and a supply ofair under pressure, valve means interposed in the conduit yielding tothe air pressure against it in one direction' tormaintain a closedposition, and hydrostatic means to open the valve, said means comprisinga bell-crank pivoted adjacent to the valve, spring means pressing thebell-crank toward one direction of turning so that one of its arms tendsto push the valve to open position, an overcenter linkage connectedto-.theother arm and being initially stationed to resist the pressure..of the spring means, -hydrostatically displaceable means to break thelinkage, said means comprising a rod directed. toward the overcenterlinkage and having a threaded extension, a piston carried by the rod tointercept seawater pressure, a spring-positioned to react againstthethreaded extension thereby to load the piston, a cupped bearing bosspartly occupied by the extension, said boss having a swivel mount and aslot, and a pin in the extension projecting into the slot to establish aloosel connection operable in adjusting the loading spring upon a turnof the bearing boss.

RICHARD C. WOLFE. THOMAS C. BOYLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,023,907 Whiting et al Apr. 23,1912 1,825,816 Orlando Oct. 6, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date513,397 France Oct. 30, 1920 258,009 Great Britain Sept. 13, 1926

